Transcript South Ayrshire Planning Forum

“Introduction to Planning and the Environment - An
Overview”
Neil Feggans, Development Planning & Customers Team Leader,
Planning Service
Ground Rules
 Don’t wish to discuss:
 specific planning applications or proposals
 merits of development plan policies/sites/proposals
What planning does?
 Regulates and controls the development and use of
land, in the public interest
 Shapes physical, economic, social and cultural
environments
How does planning do that? Legislative Context
 Town & Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997
 Specific definition of “development”
 Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006
 Introduces objective of contributing to sustainable
development in exercising planning functions
 Related & subordinate legislation
 Prescribes what planning authorities must do
How does planning do that? –
Policy Context
 Scottish Planning Policy (2010) – under review
• Statement of Scottish Government policy on various planning
topics e.g. Housing, retail, wind farms, minerals, access
 Planning Advice Notes (PANs)
 Suite of Govt. best practice advice on planning matters
 National Planning Framework (NPF) 2 (NPF3 draft)
 Identifies Govt. national priority developments
How does planning do that? –
Main Strands
 3 main strands of Planning:
 Development Plan (planning policy)
 Development Management (planning applications &
enforcement of planning control)
 Environmental/Other Planning Matters
Development Plan
•Policy framework for assessing planning applications
• Allocates land for different purposes e.g. Housing,
industry
• Provides certainty to investors/developers and public as
to where different forms of development can/can’t take
place
= Investment Certainty
Development Plan
and Policy
=Promote development
Community
Engagement
= Quality environment
Negotiation
= Economic Development
Planning
Application
Implementation
Development Plan
• evidence based
•Process of stakeholder engagement
• key agencies e.g. SNH, Historic Scotland, SEPA
• Public consultation
•Current Development Plan comprises
•AJSP (2007)
•SALP (2007)
•Proposed LDP – approved for examination (2013)
Development Plan
 Policies that seek to protect:
 Historic environment – scheduled monuments, listed buildings,
conservation areas, designed landscapes
 Natural environment – designated sites (SSSI, LWS) protected
species, biodiversity, landscape, trees
 Outdoor access/active travel routes
 Policies promoting good design
 Policies supporting:
 Renewable energy developments
 Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Reserve
 CSGN
 Ayrshire & Galloway Dark Skies Park
 Supplementary guidance – more policy detail
Development Management
 Processing applications for planning permission,
listed building consent, advertisement consent etc.
 Enforcement of control e.g. Conditions, unauthorised
development
 Must determine applications in accord with
Development Plan unless material considerations
indicate otherwise
Some Material Considerations
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Scottish Planning Policy
Planning history of site
Residential amenity
Landscape/townscape impact
Impact on built & natural heritage e.g designated
sites, protected species, scenic areas
Design – materials, height, scale, massing, layout and
relationship to surroundings
Public access rights
Road access, parking, road safety
Economic benefit
Legitimate public concern/support on planning matter
Environmental/Other Planning
Matters
 Historic environment – policy/strategy, conservation area
designation/appraisals/management plans, listing proposals
 Natural Environment – wildlife (sites and species), landscape
 Tree Preservation/Enforcement - TPOs, TWAs
 Outdoor Access
 Implementation - projects
Ayr THI
Loudoun Hall & Forecourt
Dunure Castle & Dovecot
Dailly Trails Bridge
Varyag Memorial
Giant Gnomon, Prestwick
Questions ?